Assessment of Farmers' Perception on the Role of Agroforestry in Improving the Livelihood of the Rural Farming House Holds: The Case of Bedelle District. Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was carried out in bedelle district. The major objective of the study was to assess the role of agro forestry to improve the rural farming household in the district. The factors that affect the farmers’ perception on agro forestry practices were both positive and negative. In the study out of 802 house hold 5% were selected by using stratified sampling techniques based on their relative wealth categories in order to have the exact and unbiased information on the farmer' perception on the role of agro forestry in improving the livelihood. These techniques of data collection was attained and data was summarized in the form of tables and histogram Among these increasing supply food, fodder, fuel wood and services like soil erosion control and increasing the organic matter by litter fall were the positive factors. Whereas the negative factors were practicing conventional tillage and introduction of allopathic tree species which results in yield reduction from agro forestry practices. The results of the study area showed that the land use system consists of different types of agro forestry practices and among these were: home gardens, wood lots, scattered trees in crop land, live fence and animal production with crop provide different goods and services for the local farmers. Based on the problem identified in the study area we should avoid introduction of exotic tree species which are invasive and having alelopathic effect and instead practice local one providing the productivity to agro forestry.

Keywords: agro forestry, farmers'' perception, household and livelihood.

DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/52-04